Niantic and Nintendo have recently announced their collaboration on a new game for mobile devices called Pokémon GO. Fore the first time ever, players can discover the world of Pokémon on their mobile devices. Complimenting this announcement, word on the street says Pokémon GO will be available for download at no charge on the App Store and Google Play in 2016.

Previous Pokémon video games used real world locations like the Hokkaido and Kanto regions of Japan, as well as New York and Paris, as inspiration for its fantasy settings. In Pokémon GO, players will be able to catch, trade, and battle in the real world by utilizing location information. Pokémon GO‘s gameplay experience is more than what’s on the mobile device — players will explore their neighborhoods and communities to discover Pokémon alongside friends and other players.

“Our challenge was to develop a great game for smart phone devices that expressed the core values of Pokémon,” said Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company. “Pokémon GO is the answer to that challenge.”

“Pokémon GO is a wonderful combination of Niantic’s real world gaming platform and one of the most beloved franchises in popular culture,” said John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic, Inc. “Our partnership with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo is an exciting step forward in real-world gaming and using technology to help players discover the world and people around them.”

Additionally, players will be able to enhance their Pokémon GO experience by using a unique device called Pokémon GO Plus. By pressing a button on the Pokémon GO Plus, simple in-game functions like catching a Pokémon can be done. Developed and manufactured by Nintendo, the Pokémon GO Plus will connect via Bluetooth and notifies players about events like the appearance of a Pokémon nearby by flashing lights and vibrations. As of now this is all the information we have available, however, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.